Combined table and trunk



C. M. YOUNG. COMBINED TABLE AND TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED IULY5| 1917- @vwemim C. MYOUNG.

C. M. YOUNG. COMBINED TABLE AND TRUNK. APPLICATION FILED JULYS. 1917.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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CLARENCE IVI. YOUNG, 0F CADILLAC, MICHIGAN.

COMBINED TABLE 15.1% I) TRUNK.

Application filed July 5, 1917.

1 b ail "whom it may concern lie it known that I, GLAnnNon M. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at adiilac, in the county Wexford and bit-ate of Michigan, have invented certain ne mid useful Improvements in Combined l ables and Trunks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a combined table and trunk, and has for its primary object to provide a convertible article of this character which is of very simple and durable construction, may be easily and quickly converted for use into either a table or trunk with a minimum of manual exertion, and is very simple and convenient in practical use.

it is also another important object of my invention to provide means for securely bracing and holding the several movable parts when the device is set up for use as a table.

And it is another general object of my invention to provide a combination article as above characterized, which will be extremely strong and durable and can be manufactured at relatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the device arranged for use as a table, the table leaves being in their extended positions;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the sevoral parts of the device arranged to form a trunk or receptacle;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional. view of the trunk; and i Fig. 4t is a longitudinal section through the table.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 de ignates a series of rectangular frames, to one side of which strips of wood or veneer are secured and constitute the several walls 6 of the structure. The frames 5 are hingedly connected to each other atspaced points as indicated at 7 for relative folding movement. As illustrated, four of such frames are employed, and the two intermediate frames are secured to suitable base frames 8.

The opposed longitudinal edges of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

aerial No. 178326.

frames 5 and the corresponding edges of the base frames are mitered or beveled, as shown at 9, so that they may fold to occupy positions at'right angles to each other. The base frames 8 have their outer corners mortised to receive tenons formed upon the upper ends of the supporting legs 10.

Removable bolts 11 are inserted through the openings in the base frames 8 and through the tenons, and are provided with wing nuts 12 on their inner ends. The base frames 8, which are secured to the marginal portions of the intermediate frames 5, are in the form of U-shaped bars. Each of these bars may be constructed in one piece or in a plurality of parts.

The longitudinal portions of the base frames are recessed as indicated at 13 and slats or bars 14L are disposed in these recesses and are centrally pivoted to the frames by means of bolts 15 for swinging movement. Thus when the device is used as a table, as shown in Fig. 1, the intermediate walls 6 are disposed in parallel relation with the supporting legs 10 fixed at their upper ends to the base frames 8. Either one or both of the outer walls 6 may be swung upwardly and outwardly in a horizontal position, and the pivoted bar 14: may then be swung out of the recess 13 at right angles to either one or both of the base frames 8. One end of said bar extends beneath the intermediate wall 6 and the other end thereof beneath the extended wall 6, which constitutes a pivoted leaf for the table.

In order to brace and strengthen the in termediate walls 6 at their hingedly connectededges, bolts 16 are inserted through the coinciding openings in the frames 5 and the base frames 8, and a metal bar 17 is provided with openings in its end for engagement upon the lower ends of these bolts. ing nuts 18 are threaded upon the lower ends of said bolts to securely clamp said bars against the base frames 8 and across the mitered ends of the frames 5. By the provision of these bars 17, the hinges 7 are relieved of undue strain and the structure is m ateriallv strengthened.

As seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the device maybe readily converted from a table into an elongated box or trunk by detaching the legs 10 and removing the plates 17. One of the intermediate walls 6 is then disposed in a position at right angles to the adjacent intermediate wall, these walls serving as the back and bottom of the trunk or receptacle. One of the end walls 6 is then raised to a vertical position and constitutes the front side wall of the trunk. The base frames 8 have their ends set inwardly upon the ends of the frames 5 for suflicient distance to permit the end walls 18 to be inserted between the front and rear vertical side walls.

" The end walls for the trunk are constructed in a similar manner to the walls 6, and through the openings in the marginal frame bars thereof and through the opposed frame bars of the front and rear walls 6 removable bolts 19 are inserted, said bolts having winged nuts 20 threaded on their inner ends. The end walls 18 are similarly secured to the intermediate wall 6 which forms the bottom of the trunk by bolts 21, having winged nuts 22 threaded 011 their upper ends. The other wall 6 which serves as an auxiliary leaf when the device is used as a table provides a top or cover for the trunk or receptacle. It will, of course, be understood that when the device is converted for use as a trunk the pivoted bars 14' are swung within the recess 13. The front wall of the trunk may be provided with a suitable lock indicated at 23 to coact with means in the top or cover to hold the latter closed.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of operation, and several advantages of the invention will be clearly and fully understood. The several parts of the structure may be very easily and quickly arranged and with a minimum of manual labor, whereby the device can be employed either as a table or a trunk. In either use thereof, a very strong and durable structure isproduced. The contiguous parts are securely clamped together and held against relative movement by the clamping bolts or nuts, which also permit of the quick and easy disconnection of the several parts. The device as a whole is of relatively simple construction, very serviceable and convenient, and can be manufactured at a comparatively reasonable cost.

While the design and construction at present illustrated and set forth is deemed preferable, it is obvious that as a result of a reduction of the invention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, the invention may be susceptible to changes, and the right to these changes is claimed, provided they are comprehended within the scopeof what is claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

In a combined table and trunk, the combination with a plurality of hingedly connected wall sections four in number and being in consecutive hinged relations, and adapted for arrangement in angular positions, whereby the two intermediate sections may constitute the bottom and one side of the trunk, while the other wall sections may constitute respectively the top and the opposite side of the trunk, of U-shaped frames secured to the inner faces of the intermediate wall sections, adjacent their remote longitudinal edge portions and adjacent their ends, the adjacent edges of the two inter-' mediate sections and the adjacent ends of the end rails of the U-shaped frames being mitered, whereby said sections may be positioned at right angles to each other, the longitudinal rails of said U-shaped frames being recessed longitudinally on their faces adjacent the inner faces of the intermediate wall sections, slats pivoted in said recesses and adapted to extend longitudinally of said recesses when the wall sections are in angular positions, and when the wall sections are open in parallel horizontal planes, said slats being adapted to position at right angles to the wall sections, thereby holding the intermediate and end wall sections in parallel horizontal planes, bars connecting the adjacent mitered ends of the end pieces of the U-shaped frames, thereby bracing and holding the intermediate wall sections in parallel horizontal planes, and sup porting legs adapted to engage the U-shaped frames to support the wall sections as a table top.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE M. YOUNG. lVitnesses C. W. CUNNINGHAM, A. J. Muntrz. 

